Why I Preferred Prison To Police Detention — Agba Jalingo
Agba Jalingo has revealed why he preferred prison to police detention.
Nigerian investigative journalist and human rights activist Agba Jalingo has given reasons why he preferred prison to police detention.
The journalist, who was recently released from Kuje prison, shared his experience on his official Facebook account. He revealed that while incarcerated, inmates are allowed to leave their cells and walk around the prison yard, which is typically a large compound, until lock up time at 5 o’clock in the evening.
Read the full statement below…
“In prison, there is an open-out by 9am. You can come out from your cell and walk around the prison yard, which is usually a big compound, till lock up time by, 5pm.”
“In prison, like Kuje, you have a small bed to lay your head.
“In prison, you have a bathroom and a toilet, no matter how dirty. The strict rules in prison cells will always ensure someone keeps it useable.”
“In prison, you can bathe and change clothes. Very few police stations have that ‘luxury.'”
“In prison, there are sporting facilities to keep fit. For instance, in Kuje, I played volleyball. We also had football, table tennis and many table games like chess, scrabble, ludo, monopoly, etc. to play.”
“In prison, you have a church and a mosque. You are allowed to go there and pray. They only haven’t thought about traditionalists like us.”
“In prison, your visitors are allowed to sit in the visit area and see you for at least 15 minutes. In the police station, whoever is lucky to see you will just stand by the cell gate.”
“In prison, you have government food three times daily. The food is always very horribly, though, but Kuje own was manageable. I even ate it once.”
“In prison, there is an inmates welfare department where you can make calls to your family, friends, and lawyers, and the wlefare officers are usually very courteous.”
“In prison, you have a clinic.”
“Because of the size of the prison and the number of inmates, you have the space to sneak around and do so many other things that you can’t do in a police cell. I won’t mention any of that here.”
“These things don’t happen in your regular Police detention.”
“Now you see why I preferred prison, ba?”
